Squeeze mop with compact control therefor



March 6, 1962 P. A. TRENTEL 3,023,438

SQUEEZE MOP WITH COMPACT CONTROL THEREFOR Filed Oct. 23, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 .HTHT

INVENTOR. PAUL A.TRENTEL ATTYS.

March 6, 1962 P. A. TRENTEL SQUEEZE MOP WITH COMPACT CONTROL THEREFOR Filed Oct. 23. 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 mmvroa PAUL A.TRENTEL ATTYS/ Uni rates 3,fi23,438 Patented Mar. 6, 1962 3,023,438 SQUEEZE MOP WITH COP/ PACT CONTROL THEREFOR Paul A. Trentel, Cleveland, Ohio, assignor to The Du- Fold Manufacturing Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Filed Oct. 23, 1959, Ser. No. 848,350 3 Claims. (Cl. -119) The present invention relates to mops, and especially to mops having some type of a sponge head provided thereon carried by hingedly associated backing plates whereby a hand operated wringing mechanism can be used for squeezing the water from the sponge head, when desired.

One type of mop of the class referred to is shown in prior Patent No. 2,653,336, issued Sept. 29, 1953, to Mr.

articles so that the mop head should have a minimum overall dimension and that the controls for the mop head should be of minimum interference with use of the mop. Previous mops of the general type referred to have had a relatively massive head construction with control arms or links connecting to widely separated points on the mop head.

The general object of the present invention is to avoid and overcome some problems in previous types of mops of the class described, and to provide an improved mop construction characterized by the relatively streamlined construction of the mop head and link controls provided therefor.

Another object of the invention is to secure a removable sponge head to a mop by positive engagement means.

A further object of the invention is to provide a sturdy and improved construction connecting a handle socket to a mop handle and to a mop head, and to have effective link means secure a hinged mop head to the remainder of the mop head or frame.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the invention will be made more apparent as the specification proceeds.

.In order to understand the present invention more completely, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is an elevation of a mop embodying the principles of the invention, with part of the handle therefor being broken away;

FIG. 2 is a light side elevation of the mop of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary elevation of the mop of FIG. 1 taken in the opposite direction from such elevational view;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged elevation, like FIG. 2, only with the control mechanism being moved into mop head squeezing or wringing position;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section taken on line 55 of FIG. 1; and

FIGS. 6 and 7 are an elevation and a fragmentary section taken on lines 66 and 7-7, respectively, of FIG. 4.

When referring to corresponding members shown in the drawings and referred to in the specification, corresponding numerals are used to facilitate comparison therebetween.

Attention now is particularly directed to the details of the structure shown in the accompanying drawings, and a mop is shown as indicated as a whole by the numeral 1. This mop 1 includes a conventional wooden handle 2 that has a metal handle socket 3 attached thereto at the lower end thereof. Preferably threads are provided on a tapered lower end of the handle 2 and engage with a tapered threaded section 4 provided on the handle socket 3 to provide eifective tight engagement therebetween. The handle socket 3 is further secured to the handle by being provided with outwardly extending flanges, or lips 5 on the opposed margins of a metal sheet from which the handle socket 3 is formed and with such flanges 5 being secured together by rivets 6 to bind the handle socket 3 snugly to the handle at the tapered end thereof, as a feature of the mop 1. This handle socket 3 also has a mop head attachment plate 7 secured to an integral .extension plate 3a protruding angularly therefrom, as by rivets 8. Hence the plate 7 is fixedly secured to the handle socket 3 and forms a portion of the mop head, as hereinafter described. A second plate 9 is movably attached to the plate 7 by a hinge means 10 and the movable plate 9 normally is positioned in relation to the fixed plate 7 so as to extend along in under the end of the handle 2 and base portion of the handle socket 3 as shown in FIG. 2. Some suitable cellular or sponge mop head or pad 11 is secured to corresponding surfaces on the fixed plate 7 and movable plate 9 by means described hereinafter in more detail.

It will be seen that the movable plate 9, as shown in FIG. 4, can be swung over to a superimposed, or adjacent relationship to the fixed plate 7 to exert a squeezing action on the mop head or pad 11 and control means are provided for such action. These control means include a sleeve 12 slidably engaged with the handle 2 and an operating arm 13 pivotally secured at one end to an end portion of the sleeve 12. Theattachment and control of the movable plate 9 is facilitated, as an important feature of the invention, by the provision of a relatively small bracket 14 that is attached by amember, such as a rivet 15, to the movable plate 9 on the outer face thereof. This bracket 14, which may be of .U-shape in section, preferably is no wider than the diameter or width of the handle 2 and with the bracket 14 and handle 2 in effect defining a plane and lying in this common plane, as shown in FIG. 3 of the drawings. By use of the bracket 14 positioned in alignment with the handle 2, then one or more, usually 2,-yoke links or means '16 can be used and have one end of such yoke links be pivotally secured to the bracket 14 and extending therefrom so as to be pivotally engaged with the remaining end of the operatnig arm 13 as by means of a rivet 17. This rivet 17 also serves to secure control link means, such as a pair of control links 18, at one end to this operative unit of the operating-arm 13 and yoke link 16. Opposite ends of these control links 18 are pivotally secured to opposed side marginal portions of the handle socket 3 by a rivet 18a adjacent the lower end of such socket .and below the end of the handle 2.

FIG. 3 of the drawings best shows that by theconstruction provided by the present invention, the control links 18 extend along adjacent the handle socket 3 and the lower portion-of the handle 2 to connect to the rivet 17 Whereas the yoke links 16 in effect lie completely within the plane defined by the bracket 14 and handle 2 so that a relatively compact or streamlined control link construction is provided in the mop 1 of the invention. Hence, the mop 1 can be readily moved under and around chairs, furniture and other articles for cleaning under such furniture with a minimum of interference between the mop and the furniture and with a minimum of movement of the articles.

Preferably the pad or mop head 11 is removably secured to the plates 7 and 9 and to this end wires 28 are received in holes formed in the pad 11. These wires 28 extend through the mop head or pad 11 to protrude therefrom at opposed end portions thereof. The wires 28 at their exposed ends then are received under inwardly turned flanges 19 formed on opposed end portions of these plates 7 and 9. It should be noted. that the flanges 19 are of arcuate shape in section and that they extend around slightly more than 180 to provide an inwardly overhanging end 20 on the flange 19 to engage the wire 28 better and obtain positive engagement therebetween. The flanges 19 preferably have a length of about 210 and the curved upper surfaces thereof facilitate springing, or sliding the wires 28 past such flange for engagement therewith. When desired, the wires 28 can be sprung out of engagement with the flanges 19 by grasping the pad 11 at about its center to lift the pad and bow the wires 28 about their secured ends. However, the wires will be retained effectively in engagement with the flanges under normal use conditions, and will not work out of engagement therewith when used.

The flanges or lips are recessed at 21 to receive a rivet or equivalent member 22 that pivotally secures the yoke links 16 to the bracket 14 to aid in forming a neat, effectively functioning squeeze control assembly in the mop 1.

Suitable spring means, not shown, as provided in Patent No. 2,653,336, engage the fixed and movable plates 7 and 9 to urge them apart to their normal operative positions.

FIG. 6 shows that the metal handle socket 3 has a pair of integral inwardly extending tubular flanges 23 outlining the holes 24' in which the rivet or pin 18a is positioned to strengthen the engagement of the relatively thin metal in the sheet forming the socket 3 with the rivet 18a. An outwardly extending boss 25 outlines the flange 23 and has a link 18 bearing thereon. The bosses 25 position the links 18 far enough outwardly of the handle socket 3 to avoid any interference therebetween, on pivotal movement of the links, because of the taper on the handle socket.

In view of the foregoing, it is believed that a novel and improvided mop construction has been provided by the invention and which mop has a useful mop head permanently fixedly secured thereto by a novel handle socket and with the mop head and its controls being of a compact, sturdy construction. Hence it is thought that the objects of the invention have been achieved.

It will be realized that in some instances, other yoke link means adn control link means from the specific embodiment shown herein may be used in place of the structures disclosed. In some instances, only one yoke link 16 might be used, and/or one control link 18. Use of this shown lever arrangement is very satisfactory as the yoke link 16 permits the squeezing force to be transmitted to the inclined stationary plate 7 from the handle 2 and sleeve 12.

While one complete embodiment of the invention has been disclosed herein, it will be appreciated that modification of this particular embodiment of the invention may be resorted to without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A mop comprising a handle having a tapered lower end, a metal handle socket receiving: the handle therein and having an integral extension plate protruding from the lower end thereof, a fixed plate operatively secured to the plate on said handle socket, a second movable plate hingedly secured along one edge to said fixed plate, a mop head removably secured to said fixed and movable plates, a sleeve slidably engaging said handle, a U-shaped bracket secured on the outer surface of said movable plate adjacent the opposite edge to the hinged edge thereof, a pair of yoke links pivotally secured by a pin member at one end to said bracket, an operating arm pivotally secured at one end to said sleeve, a pair of control links pivotally secured at one end to said socket, means pivotally engaging the free ends of said yoke links, operating arm and control links to provide pivotal movement of said movable plate towards said fixed plate when said sleeve is moved on said handle towards said handle socket, said handle socket being formed from a metal plate with a pair of edge flanges thereon positioned in abutted relation and extending along parallel to the longitudinal axis of said handle at said tapered end thereof, and means securing said flanges together, said flanges having a slot in the edges thereof in which said pin member is received to position portions of said bracket and one of said yoke links on each side of said flanges when the movable plate is operatively positioned to provide a compact but sturdy mop with said yoke links and control links extending along the margins of said handle socket and being generally parallel to the longitudinal axis thereof.

2. In a mop having a handle, a handle socket receiving the handle therein, a fixed plate operatively secured to the handle socket, a second movable plate hingedly secured along one edge to said fixed plate, and a mop head removably secured to said fixed and movable plates, the improvement comprising a sleeve slidably engaging said handle, a U-shaped bracket secured on the outer surface of said movable plate adjacent the opposite edge to the hinged edge thereof, a pair of yoke link means pivotally secured at one end to said bracket, an operating arm pivotally secured at one end to said sleeve, control link means pivotally secured at one end to said handle socket, and means pivotally engaging the free ends of said yoke link means, operating arm and control link means and securing them together to provide pivotal movement of said movable plate towards said fixed plate when said sieeve is moved on said handle towards said handle socket, said bracket being of a width substantially equal to the width of said handle and being positioned adjacent said handle whereby said yoke link means and said control link means lie immediately adjacent each other and said yoke link means extend generally parallel to each other and said handle in the operative position of said fixed and hinged plates, edge flanges of an arc of about 210 in length being formed on opposed portions of said plates, and the outer surfaces of said edge flanges being curved to extend inwardly towards said plates, a sponge pad, and wire means engaging said sponge pad and protruding from the ends of said sponge pad for sliding over said outer surfaces of said edge flanges to be retained in engagement with said edge flanges by the overhanging ends thereof.

3. A mop comprising a handle having a tapered lower end, a metal handle socket receiving the handle therein and having an integral extension plate protruding from the lower end thereof, a fixed plate operatively secured to the plate on said handle socket, a second movable plate hingedly secured along one edge to said fixed plate, a mop head removably secured to said fixed and movable plates, a sleeve slidably engaging said handle, a bracket secured on the outer surface of said movable plate adjacent the opposite edge to the hinged edge thereof, yoke link means pivotally secured at one end to said bracket, an operating arm pivotally secured at one end to said sleeve, control link means pivotally secured at one end to said socket, means pivotally engaging the free ends of said yoke link means, operating arm and control link means to provide pivotal movement of said movable plate towards said fixed plate when said sleeve is moved on said handle towards said handle socket, said handle socket being formed from a metal plate with a pair of edge flanges thereon positioned in abutted relation and extending along parallel to the longitudinal axis of said handle at said tapered end thereof, means securing said flanges together, said socket tapering inwardly at its lower end, and pin means secured to said socket at said tapered lower end to secure said control link means thereto, said socket having tubular flange means therein engaging said pin means and having an outwardly extending boss thereon engaging said control link means to position it laterally offset from the periphery of said tapered lower end of said socket.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Bernsden Dec. 11, 1951 Howells et al. May 6, 1952 Parker May 22, 1956 Trindl June 19, 1956 Harris Sept. 4, 1956 Channel June 14, 1960 

